Rapporteur’s Report
Professor John Coolahan
Conference Theme “Better Assessment and Evaluation to
Improve Teaching and Learning”
• How use assessment most effectively to promote key
competences (KCs)?
• How use evaluation most effectively to promote KCs?
• How can evaluation and assessment be combined to
promote KCs?
Context
• European Commission, “Rethinking Education:
Investing in Skills for Better Socio-Economic Outcomes”
(Nov. 2012)
• Eurydice, “Developing Key Competences at School in Europe:
Challenges and Opportunities for Policy” (Nov. 2012)
• OECD, “Review on Evaluation and Assessment Frameworks for
• Improving School Outcomes” (April 2013).
“Better adapting European education and training systems to the
needs of our economy and modern society is at the centre of
education policy debate at both national and EU level”
Commissioner Androulla Vassiliou (November 2012)
•Progress Overview on Incorporation of
K.Cs
•Specific Examples from Countries and in
Workshops
•“But : Assessment ‘Emerging’
•Impact of Assessment – Policy and Practice
•Broaden Scope of Summative
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Develop Methods for Formative
Power of Formative Assessment
Emphasis on Performance-based assessment
Learning outcomes; multiple methods;
co-operative assessment; interpreting
and communicating results
•A Paradigm Change or a Shift in Balance?
•Crucial that Assessment is aligned and
congruent with curriculum
- Often Misaligned – Consequences.
Need to move away from a “Test Culture”
to a “Broad Assessment Culture”
●
Danger of same assessment instruments for
Instruction and Accountability purposes
●
• Exploration of Paradigms – Performance-Based
Accountability V Improvement-Oriented Assessment
• Capacity building in formative assessment is crucial
• High stakes performance assessments need
standardisation
•Potential of School Evaluation (S.E.) if
aligned with Elements of the Change
Strategy
•Balance Issues of Accountability and
Improvement must be Resolved
•What S.E. should focus on
•Task is to build Teacher Capacity – change
of culture, leadership, and nature of
teaching profession
•S.E. – Two-way partnership
Assessment: Focus on Classroom
Pedagogy
•Accountability has to be the Handmaiden of
Learning
•Guidelines on Integrating Assessment with Pedagogy
-Dialogic Teaching; Pupil Involvement; Scope for Peer
Assessment; Impact of the hidden curriculum;
Developing Teachers’ Summative Assessments;
Moderation and Collaborative Professional
Development.
Synergies for Better Learning-International
Perspective
• OECD Major Study – 28 systems provided
detailed data, 15 Country Reviews
• 10 Themes
• 4 Areas of Analysis: - Governance; Procedures;
Capacity; Use of Results
10 Themes
1. Significance of having a national, coherent E.
and A. Framework
2. Alignment of the Framework with ed. goals and
learning objectives
3. Support teachers as central agents in linking E.
& A. to classroom.
4. Care that Accountability Function does not
hinder Improvement
5. Place Student at Centre of E. & A. framework – active
engagement.
6. Avoid harmful effects of accountability
and dominance of Quantitative over Qualitative
7. Build Capacity for E. & A.
8. E. & A. Procedures to be Fit for Purpose
9. Balancing National with Local Needs
10.Sophisticated Planning for implementation of E. & A.
Policy Options for Student Assessment; Teacher
Appraisal; School Leaders’ Appraisal; School
Evaluation; System Evaluation
Governance
•Procedures
•Capacity
•Reporting and Use of Results
Rich range of Perspectives, Guidelines
A Complex agenda for E. & A.
Options for Policy.
Relating the OECD Model to Ireland
Governance
•“The Structures exist whereby national policy on A. &
E. can be set, and responsibilities to the key players
in this process area also clear”.
•Significant new policies on “Literacy and Numeracy
Strategy” and on Junior Cycle Reform, but will find
OECD model helpful for A. & E. National Framework.
•Shift to learning outcomes, standardised testing but
opposed to the accountability misuse of tests, league
tables etc.
•Strong consultative tradition, but aware of pros and
cons of policy by consensus.
Student Assessment
•Some radical changes under way, on lines of
good international practice
•Parental Engagement
•Building Teacher Capacity, under-developed as
yet
•Seeking Balance between Formative and
Summative – using broader range of
assessments methodologies
• Greater Use of ICT in assessing competences
•Alert to the danger of unbalanced student
assessment.
School Evaluation
•Inspection Reformed and geared to
‘improvement’
•W.S.E., Notified, Unannounced
•Reportage to Parents / Public
National Framework for S.S.E. – evolving
Guidelines
•School Improvement has Priority over Accountability
•Need for Investment in data capture and usage
System Evaluation – Range of Processes in place.
Teacher and School Leader Appraisal
•Graduation, Probation, Role of Teaching Council
•Provision for the chronically inefficient teacher
•No set procedures for regular ‘appraisal’ of
school Principals or Teachers
•Strong commitment to CPD and the
Reflective Practitioner
•Cultural issue – Irish perspective – “Use of term ‘teacher
appraisal’ tends to suggest a hard-edged accountability measure
rather than a process that will foster genuine improvement for the
individual and the school”
•“Balance is All”.
Conference Outcomes
•Very Timely and Informative
•Distillation of International Data
•Progress Report on Incorporation of K.Cs/workshop
reports
•Questioning of Assumptions
•Accountability – Improvement, Balance in Assessment
•Centrality of Teacher/Leadership Capacity
•Complexities of the Reform Agenda
•Insightful on Assessment Reform
•Guidelines towards Reform Strategy.
Policy Recommendations (1)
•Disseminate Policy Perspectives and Data
•Devise Coherent A. and E. National Frameworks
•Develop Good Exemplars of Summative Assessment
•Harvest the Potential of Formative Assessment
•Control the Impact of Assessment for Accountability
•Work needed on “High-Stakes” Performance Assessment
•Invest in Capacity Building for Assessment
Policy Recommendations (2)
•Focus School Evaluation on Teaching, Learning and
Assessment Reform
•Integrate Assessment with Pedagogy
•Invest in E-Assessment
•Place Student at Centre of A. and E. Framework
•Involve Parents in the Assessment Reform Process
•Balance National with Local Needs
•Engage in Sophisticated Planning for Implementation of
Change Strategy